Introduction
Scientists believe that there are 7000 languages approximately that are being spoken all over the globe and one language after every two weeks is becoming extinct. The Movie “The Linguists” scientists Gregory Anderson and David Harrison, follow the path to document the languages that seem to vanish soon. They world journey of David and Gregory takes them to discover knowledge, cultures, and communities that are at risk when their language perish.
They both recorded the Chulym dialect in Siberia, which is unknown to the outsiders for last three decades. Both linguists bump into leftovers from the racist Soviet establishment that might have quieted Chulym language. Tribal children in India go to boarding school where they were taught English and Hindi. Gregory and David had traveled to the village of children, where economic strife was on the surge. The linguists witnessed the poverty and fear that have driven the youngsters out of the societies. Kallawaya language in Bolivia has lasted for several millenniums with less than a hundred speakers. David and Greg marched to the Andes to reveal its undisclosed secret.
Discussion
Chemehuevi Language in Arizona
Native American Language Chemehuevi had left with five speakers in 2005. All the elders died who were known to Chemehuevi. Only recordings of perished Chemehuevi language have been left to listen. This practice illustrates the essential role of documenting and preserving the languages to save them from becoming scarce.
Kallawaya language in Bolivia Passing down Languages
One of the most secret and mysterious spoken languages in Bolivia is Kallawaya. Adult males taught this language to the teenaged boys with an aim to endure the survival of healing technique. There are only 150 speakers left, who are striving for its survival for last hundred years.
Sora language of India
Sora language appealed the linguists for its feature to intact the entire sentence in a single verb. In the documentary both linguists go to sora villages, they attended the wedding and interviewed the speakers. It was “Eureka” moment for them when they have been taught to build large numbers with the use of the twenties and twelves. Both visited a school when Sora kids were getting an education along with the groups of 40 indigenous. They were amazed to see that young generation of Sora village is influenced by Hindu practices (The Linguists. For Educators 2018).
Due to the globalization and colonialism, small languages have become inhibited that directly favors the major spoken languages. Currently, over 500 languages have become endangered including two of them are featured in the movie The Linguists. A) Chemehuevi being spoken in Arizona, and, B) Chulym dialect in Serbia. Other languages like Sora spoke in India and Kallawaya spoke in Bolivia are also facing challenges to survive.
Both linguists show to the people who speak endangered dialects; what does it mean for them when their spoken language is gone. They show that language is very essential to preserve the history, culture, identity, traditions, and values.
Questions that were raised in the movie The Linguists: Why languages are becoming extinct? What can we do to save them?
The Linguists highlights cultural diversity and world’s linguistic to the students. It shows some themes that one can collect after thoroughly watching the documentary.
Culture
Speakers in the documentary are worried about that young generation might not learn and speak their ancestral language. They would ultimately lead them to loss of their culture and history. Linguists Gregory and David in a documentary film recorded the stories told to them by Chulym speakers. These stories imitate the customary Chulym civilization.
Time, Endurance, and Conversion
The Linguists are of the opinion that the Kallawaya language culture has the history of over 400 years. Kallawaya civilization improved their healing arts by discovering a “clandestine” dialect. Since they victoriously preserved, passed and saved their language in human history chapter.
Places, People, and Surroundings
In the shaping of any language, its geography plays a vital role. The area, having diversity in linguistics cause people to splint into groups. For example, Papua New Guinea has been home to 820 different languages. Language is always a provider of ideas regarding insight about the places, its people, and their environment.
Identity and Progress
The language of any region expresses its thoughts because it is directly linked to the way of life. A man from Chemehuevi tribe said, “Language defines who you are, it is your breath that you breathe, you are dead without your language.” Same like this, language of any country in the world represents the identity.
Groups, and Institutions
When speakers are compulsorily forced to vacant their language or encouraged to speak another dialect, their language becomes endangered. The documentary shows us how boarding schools in India, Siberia, and United States impacted on groups and their languages. Revitalization of speech is vital goal to regain the respect for languages in the contemporary world.
Authority, Power, and Governance
The Linguists tell us, you lose fundamental human rights when you lose the liberty to speak. E.g., during apartheid time in Africa, Africans were forced to restrain their language. Those who are in power can save the rights of minority groups instead of endangering their history, culture, and language.
Society, Science, and Technology
Gregory and David emphasized on use of technology with an aim to sustain and preserve small languages
Global Acquaintances
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1996 with other organizations signed the declaration of Universal Linguistic Rights. It says a language is fundamental human rights and nations should take a step to preserve their endangered dialects.
Public Practices to Preserve Languages
The Documentary suggests that non-linguists should involve themselves in revitalizing the languages. They shall do projects and aware the public to preserve their dialect. Public gatherings, presentations, stories, tableaus can play a role to achieve this ambition.
References
The Linguists. For Educators | PBS. (2018). Pbs.org. Retrieved 16 February 2018, from http://www.pbs.org/thelinguists/For-Educators/
